Connectomics : a journey through time

Abstract

Connectomics is a relatively new field in neuroscience which tackles the intricate neural circuitry of the brain (1 ). Several technologies have been constructed along the years to aid in visualising the central nervous system and in taking on the challenge of obtaining a structural map of the brain's neural connections (2). This review goes over the major milestones reached in this field from the first full connectome ever obtained, the Brainbow technique, and eventually, the collaborative approach launched by the National Institutes of Health, i.e. the Human Connectome Project. This ambitious project aims to establish how brain connectivity underlies brain function by compiling brain imaging data and freely sharing this with researchers from all over the world (3). Enhancing our knowledge of brain structure and function, possibly through such collaborations, will hopefully allow insight into the processes underlying behaviour, and possibly, a better understanding of brain diseases and disorders in the future (4).